


Secret Love History

by Lunarblue21



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/M, a piece from last year that I really really enjoyed writing, and of course korrlok because I love the two of them together, anywhoo, legend of korra AU, please enjoy this AU :), prompt fic from a friend at Tumblr, since I love Mongolia and its people and its culture and history so much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-22
Updated: 2013-10-22
Packaged: 2017-12-30 04:42:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1014225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarblue21/pseuds/Lunarblue21
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Korrlok Month Day 17, History Lesson. Mongol! AU. Tumblr fic posted on ao3. In the days of Genghis Khan, a young girl known as the Avatar is betrothed to a young officer, Tarrlok, of the Khan's armies. But troubles prevent them from being together since a masked man called Amon roams the plains in search of her....</p>
            </blockquote>





	Secret Love History

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to my good friend Chloeevermore for inspiring this to some extent since she gave me an Amorra prompt with a Mongol AU, so here is another one for her! :) This story really became its own beast, which surprised me to death since I was hoping to do only drabbles for Korrlok Month, but this story is 6, 020 words AND ends on a cliffhanger. This is partially so long because I love Mongolia so much because I studied it extensively for several years in preparation for my novel, Tahki, which sadly never got off the ground, so it was like finding myself in a world somewhere only I know since I have learnt so much about the Mongols it’s a place like home for me. There is also this worldbending link of interest which has the Water Tribe as being of Mongolian origin, which makes me ecstatic since I love the Mongol people and can easily see why the worldbending artist thought that they’d make a good real-life match for the Water Tribe! :) For reference: the Water Tribe Mongol is the man in the middle on the far right picture. :)
> 
> For non-Mongol enthusiats, here is some Mongolian vocabulary so that you can understand the story more easily:
> 
> Eej = mother 
> 
> Aav = father 
> 
> The Eternal Blue Sky = god 
> 
> amtat = sweet (which I use an endearment) 
> 
> All of the 12th century Mongol history and the facts contained in this story about the Universal Father, “Genghis Khan” are all true. :) <3

Tarrlok cantered forward on his horse, his long ponytails flowing out behind him as he maneuvered the animal through the dry grasses of the tundra. A child’s laughter greeted him as he slackened his grip on the reins, drawing his fine horse to a stop.

The horse whuffled at him as he dismounted, hurrying over to scoop up his daughter, the last snatches of light glistening on her hair, reverberating at him in golden metallic rays.

“Eej!” Naran called towards their little tent that the family lived on when not herding their animals or when Tarrlok was not off fighting in the armies of Genghis Khan, sometimes with Korra alongside him.

In fact, Korra was chosen specifically at the demand of the Khan and had negotiated with him for her husband to fight at her side and the great one had acquiesced to her request.

“Aav’s home! Come see him!”

Korra emerged from the yurt, her face lighting up immediately upon seeing Tarrlok. A smile brought laugh lines to her mouth as she hurried over to welcome him home.

He felt her hand slip into his as he grinned at her before wrapping his arm around her to draw her closer to him for a kiss.

“Eej told me you were going to tell me a history lesson about one of the Khan’s daughters,” Naran pouted, growing tired of the fact that her parents’ first thoughts upon seeing each other after a separation was to embrace each other before Korra pulled Tarrlok into another kiss. “About the secret history of the queens.” She paused, and then added, seeing Tarrlok wasn’t responding, instead being too focussed on gazing into her mother’s eyes. “You missed my birthday when you were gone, Aav. I’m ten now!”

“What a big girl you are now,” Tarrlok replied absently, his fingers finding the strands of Korra’s loose hair, plying it gently through his hands in a stroking motion as Korra relaxed, the tension simmering out of her body as she leaned against him gratefully.

“Eej also told me that you’d give me a history lesson of when you and eej first met,” Naran went on, making Tarrlok’s eyes widen with surprise at her statement. He pulled Korra closer to him, whispering in her ear as he bit on it gently, causing Korra to emit a squeak of pleasure,

“Why did you tell her that I’d tell her that story? Surely you, of all people, remember how it began?”

Korra scowled up at him,

“Not too dissimilar from how the great Khan won the heart of the maiden Borte,” Korra retorted. “But she at least was kidnapped by those unfamiliar to her – I was kidnapped by your  _brother_.”

“Eej said something about ravishing being involved,” Naran broke in, causing both sets of her parents’ blue eyes to turn on her, annoyance peppering their glances. She continued, heedless of the internal commotion she was giving, “And I don’t want the history of the queens, Aav and Eej, I want Aav to tell me the secret history of your love story.”

Korra and Tarrlok exchanged stricken glances as Tarrlok set their daughter onto the ground. She tugged on his hand, dragging him towards their yurt. Korra reached out, taking his hand in hers, patting him gently on the arm.

“Don’t worry, she can handle it,” she whispered to her husband, who tightened his mouth at her words. “Our daughter is quite strong, Tarrlok… I can see her rising among the ranks of the Khan’s female warriors one day.... Maybe even one day serving one of his daughters, the queens.”

He turned his head to allow himself to smile at her,

“Like yourself?” he asked, unable to keep a note of pride from entering his voice. Korra glanced away, the roses of a blush glowing on her cheeks as Tarrlok continued to smile at her. There was no one in the Khan’s army with her ferocity and strength, and he’d once heard the Khan murmur to his brother, Noatak, that it was possibly because Korra was connected to the essence of the universe.

 He’d called her “the Avatar” but the title meant little to both his wife and himself. She was _Korra_ , and he loved her for being Korra in all her nuances and the various ways the light played on her eyes like the sea.

He’d never seen that expanse of water, but someday he hoped to journey with Korra under the guidance of the great Khan to witness it with his own eyes, since the Universal Father claimed it was breathtaking – and was the full manifestation of his power over all of the earth that he’d conquered for the Mongolian people.

Naran led them into the yurt, gesturing for Tarrlok to sit down beside the fire burning in the centre as Korra stood next to him, her fingers massaging his weary shoulders.

Naran looked up, making sure to catch her father’s glance as he stared at her, rubbing his hands together in his lap awkwardly as she waited, tapping her booted foot with impatience. Tarrlok looked back into her face, seeing achingly blue eyes that mirrored his own.

Those eyes were begging him,  _Please tell me. I want to know you and Eej’s story_ and he found that he couldn’t try to deny her the promise of a secret history – the conveyance of a past time – coiled in the art of a story.

“All right, Naran,” he agreed. “I’ll tell you the story.”

_It is a day livid with blue as Tarrlok canters across the plains. Today is an important mission for him – the Khan has sent him to choose a wife from one of the many tribes that lay scattered across the Mongolian plains. Herds of wild horses that his people refer to as “Tahki” whicker at him as he gallops past them in the direction of the lowland valley where a beautiful young woman known as Korra is whispered to live._

_He smirks to himself, thinking that she is probably the most ordinary woman there could ever be, especially since on the plateaus of Mongolia, the woman are more famed for their courage and fortitude than their beauty, although he has known some lovely women in his time, first and foremost being his warm and caring mother, Sedna._

_Sedna herself had urged him to take up his sword alongside the Khan whilst his father, Yakone, had berated him for his ambitions to become a rising officer in the Khan’s armies. Tarrlok grimaces as his knees press against his horse’s side, recalling his father’s taunting words about how he is only a weakling who will never amount to anything._

_Tarrlok knows that his father is mainly saying those words out of anger and regret, since his older brother, Noatak, handsome, vivid, Noatak, ran away from home in his early teens to escape the emotional abuse Yakone was heaping on his sons.  He wanted them to become the master of archery and horseback riding so that they could eventually defeat the unknown successor of the man – called the Avatar – who’d banished him from the city of the Khan’s Republic and onto the plateaus, where he’d met Sedna._

_Eventually, Tarrlok had left the dismal yurt of his father to make his own way in life with the skills he’d obtained, hoping to seek out the fate of his brother as he did so. He never imagined that it would lead him to this little hovel though, as he’d been directed to so by Genghis Khan, who’d hinted at him with rather obvious suggestions that he thought the young woman Korra would make a good match for him._

Well, it’s time to see if that suggestion has any proof to it,  _Tarrlok thinks, being careful not to betray any hint of his feelings as he draws his horse to a stop outside the door of the yurt. He dismounts; quickly checking to make sure his light blue deel is not covered in horse hairs before he moves to enter the tent._

_Growing shy, he stops short in front of the felt doorway, unsure of what to do or say when there’s a tremble of the curtain. A young woman emerges from inside the yurt, her eyes widening with astonishment as her gaze lands on him._

_He bows to her awkwardly,_

_“I am Officer Tarrlok, first among the Khan’s armies,” he says by way of introduction. The girl continues to stare at him, the petals of a blush making its appearance on her cheeks as her stern visage softens marginally. She bows to him, seemingly remembering her manners as a small giggle bursts forth from her mouth._

_He speculates that this must be the young woman the Khan has spoken of to him, but just as he’s opening his mouth to inquire about her identity she declares,_

_“My name is Korra, Officer Tarrlok.”_

So this is the Korra he mentioned!  _Tarrlok is scarcely able to comprehend it. He opens his mouth, about to say “I was expecting someone older” when another man and woman – presumably her parents – surface out of the yurt._

_He blinks, finding himself recognising the tall bearded man who is most likely her father. Maybe this marriage arrangement won’t turn out so badly after all._

_“Greetings, Tonraq,” he says to the man before stepping forward and placing his hand on the man’s shoulder as Tonraq exchanges a grin that flashes recognition at him. “I’ve come here at the Khan’s behest for a very important matter.”_

_Korra’s stark blue eyes seek his face, making him inclined to think that she is already aware of his purpose in being here, but he is relieved to note that the light in her expression is neither afraid nor abhorrent about him. Instead, she seems to appreciate his presence as she darts another smile in his direction._

_Korra darts an inquisitive glance at his friend Tonraq, who he knows from his younger days out on the plateaus when he’d joined the hunting parties, led by Noatak. His brother’s name hits Tarrlok with a pang, but he turns up the edges of his lips so that his prospective wife and her family aren’t bothered by his internal distress._

_“I know why he’s here, Aav,” Korra announces, sending another smile in Tarrlok’s direction as he awkwardly grins back at her. “You said a friend of yours out of the past would be coming for my betrothal.”_

_“Yes, this man – my friend Tarrlok – is your betrothed, Korra,” Tonraq confirms. “I take it you find him pleasing to you?”_

_Opting not to reply verbally, Korra only nods in response as she crosses over to Tarrlok, placing her small hand in his own. He wraps his fingers around her own, noting that despite her tiny stature she had a strong grip. Her eyes sparkle with intelligence, and he can see why the Khan speaks so highly of her, especially since she’s already undertaken a few missions with the Khan himself._

_He is overcome with secret joy that she is so receptive to him. He can tell from just the spark that lingers in her expression and the firm grip that she has on his hand that she is a person used to determining her own fate.  He wonders if the thought of marrying a much older man must have been irksome to her since it limited her freedom._

_His thoughts are disproved as Korra leans against his arm, relaxing into his grasp. He sees the curves of a grin on her face. He seeks out Tonraq’s eyes and finds his old friend giving him a small, sad smile._

_“I guess we can have the betrothal party prepared right away,” Tonraq states, looking towards his wife. “What do you think, Senna?”_

_Senna nods, her blue eyes brimming with sadness at the thought of her daughter being taken away from her._

_“I think we should begin right away. Korra, do you want to go out riding with your betrothed to find your friends to tell them of your engagement?”_

_“Yes, I would love to do that with Officer Tarrlok!” Korra exclaims. “I want him to see my mare too – I hope he thinks that she’s a beauty.”_

Anything connected to you would be considered beautiful,  _Tarrlok thinks at her, but his words are lost in the wind as she tugs him over to the horse pen. Inside a large white mare prances. She whickers at the sight of Korra, who glances up at Tarrlok with a proud smile._

_“This is Naga, my wild mare,” she explains. “I found her out wandering on the polar bear dog plains.”_

_“She is lovely,” he agrees as the mare nuzzles at him. He feels at tug at his sleeves and then Korra is staring into his eyes, traces of hunger burning in their glow._

_“I’ve dreamt about you,” she murmurs in a husky voice that speaks allurement to him. Her fingers creep down his cheekbones as she trails her hand over them. “Ever since Aav told me of my betrothal to you, I began imagining what you might be like... And then I saw you and knew you were the one.”_

_She stands onto her tiptoes and he feels the brush of her lips against his own. A smile arches his brows as he wraps his arm around her, knowing why the Khan regarded her so fondly._

_S_ _he is as bold and daring and sexually progressive as one of his daughters, and her family must think it quite an honour for Korra to considered on par with the daughters of the great Khan, and the Mongolian peoples’ future queens._

_“I wish I could do… more with you, right now,” Korra continues, her lips curling into a smirk. “But we should probably get our horses ready to ride.”_

_He decides to propose a suggestion._

_“How about then, we ride until we reach the breakpoint were the messengers arrive here on the plains, and then we can do what we want to do then?”_

_Her eyes light up with excitement at his plan as she throws a glance over her shoulder._

_“I’d like that, yes,” She agrees as she snaps the bridle onto Naga and then leads the study white mare out of the pen. She easily climbs aboard and then sits on top of Naga, casting Tarrlok annoyed glances until he departs to bring his horse over to hers._

_He mounts his stallion as Naga noses at his animal as Korra comments, a note of happiness in her voice,_

_“Even our horses approve of our union, Officer Tarrlok.”_

_“Call me Tarrlok,” He protests. “No more standing on formalities between us if we’re going to be together in the service of the Khan.”_

_“All right,” She murmurs, drawing Naga over to his steed, her hands colliding with his. “Tarrlok,” she says, tasting the name on her tongue, and he can see she likes the fragrance of it._

_The air is thick with unspoken words that the wind eats as the two riders urge their horses into a gallop._

_……_

_The horse’s hooves beat a fast tattoo upon the dry arid grasses of the plateau as Tarrlok and Korra race side by side. Tarrlok’s body shakes from the vibrations of his stallion’s gallop, maintaining his seat whilst he guides his horse closer to hers. Their legs brush against each other, making Korra let out a tiny bubble of laughter at the contact._

_The Eternal Blue Sky looms over the two tiny figures dwarfed by the immensity of the blueness they adore when Tarrlok calls out to Korra to draw Naga to a halt. She complies; pulling on Naga’s bit to rein her in._

_Tarrlok dismounts, watching Korra slide off her own animal, the slender threads of the grasses brushing against his boots and his deel as he makes his way over to her._

_“What friends are we inviting to your betrothal?” he asks as her hand slips in between his fingers._

_“Just a few close friends of mine – my good friend Asami and her betrothed, Mako, and his brother, Bolin, along with my mentor Tenzin and his family, and my mother’s friend Lin.”_

_“That sounds reasonable,” Tarrlok murmurs, tightening his grip on her hand. “I just hope that they aren’t upset that I mean to… ahem… ravish you away from them.”_

_Korra lets out a snort of laughter,_

_“That’s how it’s always been done on the plains, the abducting the new bride and all – or taking her back from her captor…” she says, her voice tapering off as fear swells in it._

_Shaking off her apprehension, she lifts her face towards him, her mouth open and inviting as she whispers, “And that’s why I want you take me now, while there’s time, so that if someone tries to ravish me before the day of our union, the seed will be yours.”_

_Her words of trust and strength in him awaken subtle desires. He places his hand on the back of Korra’s neck, guiding her face closer to his and their lips touch for a long moment. His tongue snakes into her mouth as they sink below the grasses which succeed in enveloping them._

_Within minutes, he feels Korra clawing at him as she divests him of his shirt, their lips still joined together. He pulls her deel off of her, revealing her toned body underneath, glistening with sweat. She darts a smile at him as she lifts her naked form off of the grasses, standing on her hands and knees._

_The desire in her eyes is overwhelming and he knows he must answer it. He places another kiss on her full lips, stroking her hair, which has dislodged itself out of her ponytails because of the racing they've been doing, hanging messily in front of her eyes, draping down onto her neck._

_He rises to his feet, his fingers trailing over her curves before he leans over, resting his hands on her shoulders, thrusting himself into her as she moans with pleasure at his touch as he fills her with himself._

Naran’s eyes grew wide.

“Is that when I began?” she whispered. From his position across the fire, Tarrlok managed a small grin for her, reaching up to find Korra’s hand for comfort, since he was still uncomfortable about telling the whole secret history to their nearly-teenage daughter.

He trusted that Korra’s mother’s instincts were right that Naran should know the history of her parents’ union and the ravishment that transpired, since it wouldn’t be long before she was nubile herself – girls married on the plateaus as young as thirteen at times, Korra’s age when she married Tarrlok was an anomaly – and it made perfect sense for her to know the history of her parents own tenuous bond that was eventually sealed with a lover’s knot as their marriage braids were twisted together to symbolise their physical closeness.

“Yes, amtat,” he responded, using the term for “sweet” in his address of his daughter. “It was when you began. We can thank the wise prudence of your mother for that, because not long after, something horrible occurred in our lives...”

_Korra arches her neck, exhaustion coursing through her body as Tarrlok comes. She turns over in the grasses, beckoning him over as Tarrlok returns to her side, settling himself over her breasts. He notes that the grasses are beginning to turn dark grey since the night is descending upon the land with wings of a golden eagle, which makes him anxious. Korra’s hand trails across his cheekbones, turning his attention back to her but he knows that they have tarried long enough. He helps her to her feet, well aware that her joints are aching – as are his – but they have to hurry now._

_The curtains of the sky fall all around them, blanketing the steppe in darkness as he guides Korra back up onto Naga. Her fingers intertwine with his and he smiles at her in the fading light. Not letting go of her hand, he grabs the reins of his stallion, releasing his gentle grip on her palm momentarily to swing himself aboard._

_Seated upon his horse, he reaches out for her hand again. She holds it tightly as they wheel their horses around to head off in the direction of the sky-dwelling home of her mentor._

_……_

_They canter along together, hands still clasped in the other’s. Korra receives her congratulations from Tenzin and his pretty family before they ride hard on to convey the news to her best friend Asami and her betrothed.  The dark-haired young woman who emerges from the yurt strikes Tarrlok as being very Japanese in origin, and the same goes for her fiancé and his brother._

_Asami wraps her arms around Korra in a hug and he hears the whispered congratulations when she speaks to her friend about her intimacy with him, whilst Bolin, Mako’s brother, crosses over to say hello to him._

_“So, you’re Korra’s betrothed,” Bolin greets him. His gaze slants over to Korra, who is chatting comfortably with Asami. “You better take good care of her,” He murmurs, his green eyes darkening with the intensity of his words. “Because I love her too and I wanted to be betrothed to her, but her parents refused – apparently her father thought you were better suited to her.”_

_Tarrlok finds himself unable to find the right words for several moments in response to Bolin’s forthright manner._

_“I will make sure she’s taken care of well,” he states, darting a glance at his lovely betrothed, who is laughing with Asami over some matter in the dappling twilight. “Because… I love her.”_

_Bolin smacks his fists together._

_“Good,” he asserts, placing a thick hand on Tarrlok’s shoulder. “Your betrothal to her gave me some misgivings at first, but now I can see you two will do well together.”_

_He pauses, and then glances about at the quickening darkness swallowing the remnants of the blue sky. He grabs Tarrlok by the shoulders. “But you and Korra need to be careful,” He urges. “There’s a man known as ‘Amon’ who is not compliant with the Khan’s intentions for global domination, and he means to bring it down… but beyond that, he steals away new brides and ravishes them for himself.”_

_“I promise that I’ll keep Korra safe,” Tarrlok hears his voice saying._

_Only a few days later does he come to regret his hasty words._

_……_

_Tarrlok and Korra’s betrothal ceremony comes and goes smoothly, but before he can spend much longer with her, he is summoned by the Khan to the steppes of battle. He remembers pulling Korra close to him, nestling his face into her long brown flowing hair as she weeps angrily over the fact that the Khan hasn’t summoned for her as well to fight alongside her betrothed in service to his daughters._

_Tarrlok returns to the fields of battle to fight against the Chinese, and once again the great Khan achieves a successful coup, turning the tide in favour of an eventual invasion of the Chinese empire even as he manages his own – one that grows larger and larger with every piece of land conquered._

_Tarrlok keeps himself occupied with thoughts of Korra, imagining how happy the day will be when he’s able to return home to her and they can finally be wed._

_At last, after four days of hard fighting, the Khan gives him leave to, muttering ominously under his breath that he is intent on a new mission to unmask the ninja destroyer known as ‘Amon’ who is stirring discontent amongst his ranks, making his plans for dominating the world seem unworthy because of his silver words._

_He stops Tarrlok short just as he’s about to urge his stallion in the direction of Korra’s yurt, warning him that he expects him to find Amon for him – and bring him to justice, even if it means killing. But that is what a Mongol does best, isn’t it?_

_…_

_Tarrlok urges his stallion forward, arriving at Korra’s yurt in good time. A scene of devastation greets him. He finds Senna sobbing onto Tonraq’s chest as he slows his horse to a stop, leaping off before his animal’s hooves have even made contact with the ground._

_Around Korra’s parents cluster her friends, including the young woman, Asami, whose green eyes brim over with sorrow._

_“Where is Korra?” Tarrlok exclaims, feeling his tongue hanging heavy in his throat. He can scarcely force the words out._

_“Captured by a man in a dark suit who said his name was Amon,” Tonraq answers in a feeble voice. “He came in the dark of the night whilst Korra was out riding Naga.”_ _A pause fills the air, filled with anxious voices of silence. “We heard her screaming, but were unable to reach her in time.”_

_“I’m going after her,” Tarrlok declares, staring down at Tonraq, who looks ready to protest. “Don’t anybody try to stop me.”_

_……_

_Korra awakens to find herself lying prostrate in the grasses of the plateau. For one strange moment, she imagines she is there in the meadow with Tarrlok enjoying their moment of intimacy again, but the harsh sunlight jars that thought out of her mind._

_A shadow covers her, making her recoil as she recognises the eerie mask of captor. She sits upright immediately only to find her wrists bound tightly with rope fibres. Korra glares at the man, dread overcoming her as she realises her worst fear has come true._

_“What do you want with me?” she demands, trying to keep the quiver of anxiety out of her voice._

_“I have taken you for a special purpose,” The man replies. She notices that his voice is as smooth as silver. “You are too important to the Khan, and to Officer Tarrlok, and so I have decided to take you for myself.”_

_Korra grunts at him, unimpressed, sticking her chin out defiantly._

_“Well, you’re too late – Officer Tarrlok has already taken me, as per my request,” she states. “So, point one for Tarrlok, point zero for you. Sorry.”_

_“Enough of your impudence, young Avatar,” the man retorts, gripping her by the chin to force her to look into his eyes. “You will be mine, or you will die trying to escape. No one will come to rescue you.”_

_“I don’t need anyone to rescue me,” Korra snaps back. “I can take care of myself, thank you very much – but if I need anyone, I’m sure Tarrlok is on his way to find me.”_

_“Comfort yourself in that thought, Avatar,” the masked figure says, seemingly unperturbed by her words. “Officer Tarrlok will not come for you – and if and when he does, you will be mine, whether you want to or not – and my harem will also enjoy you.”_

_“And so how are you the man who’s supposed to be telling Mongolia of the depravity contained in the great Khan’s conquests?” Korra baits him. “You only kidnap helpless women, ravishing them as you want – that is not telling anyone_ anything _. Anything but how selfish you are.”_

_“You may contradict as much as you want; I am only showing the Khan the extent of his own inequality. I am the solution, Avatar, and I will make you suffer in the throes of my love and you’ll be lucky if you’re betrothed gets away with his life intact.”_

_Hearing this man threaten Tarrlok is too much for Korra. She struggles in her bonds, attempting to kick out at the masked figure.  He moves away from her kicks, leaving her heaving and frustrated._

_“My name is Amon,” the man continues silkily, the mention of his name sending shivers down Korra’s spine. “And I believe that the Khan is in the wrong, and that he shows no equality to those he conquers.”_

_“You lie,” Korra mocks him._

_She knows the Khan personally and has seen his fair judgments in matters of ruling his empire._

_She knows that a virgin can walk the distance from its farthest reaches in the West to the Chinese empire that is a golden bounty in the East with nugget of gold in her pouch and not be harmed since his law and order is so well-conceived._

_“If you wish to believe that, you may, Avatar, but it’s true that my words do carry a hint of truth to them,” he whispers as she feels his lips brush against her cheeks in the darkness. “Now, prepare yourself to be equalised,” he adds, running his fingers over her naked thighs._

_Fear overwhelms Korra as her palms grow clammy with sweat before she numbly consents to his invasion of herself. Her screams rend the air of the frigid tundra night._

_…_

_Tarrlok sits snugly in the saddle, his brow creased with worry as he watches the pale yellow dawn emerge from beyond the Altai Mountains._

_“Korra!” He calls out, again and again, but the only answer is the keening silence of the wind in his face._

_He squints his eyes, the shape of a small yurt materialising into view. He grabs the reins, pulling his horse over towards it, the wind playing with his hair as he flies across the ground on his stallion’s winged legs._

_T_ _he design of a mask is emblazoned on the outside, and he feels in his gut that he’s discovered the lair of the dreaded Amon. He just hopes that Korra is all right. His heart pounds in his chest as he hurries over to the tent._

_He jumps off his stallion in one fluid leap, throwing upon the flap. The first scene that meets his eyes is a masked figure leaning over Korra, who glances up at him with agony and joy mingling in her eyes._

_With a ferocious thrust, she pushes the man away from her just as Tarrlok rushes into the tent, removing his sabre from his scabbard. Amon springs gracefully to his feet, skillfully pulling out his own sword. The clang of metal rings throughout the tent, leaving time for Korra to rise to her feet; immediately she begins laying into Amon with her fists as Tarrlok parries at him with his sabre._

_Amon smoothly darts in and out of their grip, but Tarrlok isn’t going to be through with him until he sees the man’s face. He knew Korra was right that they should bed before anyone attempts to ravish her, but this man has violated Korra and he won’t stand for anyone disrespecting his love in such a manner._

_“Grab onto his shoulders and hold him still!” Tarrlok orders Korra._

_“As you wish, Tarrlok!” she responds, slamming her fists down upon Amon’s shoulder so that he’s caught in her viselike grip, tears of anger making her eyes moist, but the quick glance she shows Tarrlok betrays a slight smile. He feels Amon stiffen under Korra’s grasp as he quickly returns his sabre to his scabbard. With one quick movement he rips the mask off of Amon’s face._

_His jaw drops from astonishment. Korra relinquishes her hold on the man, her face showing his same confusion as her eyes light up, recognising the similarities in the build of the two men standing in front of her._

_“N-Noatak?” Tarrlok murmurs, his voice scarcely above a whisper as he stares at the man terrorising the Khan’s ideologies and in his spare time ravishing women such as his bride. “I-Is it really you?”_

_Amon, alias Noatak, stares at his brother, his blue eyes fiery with anger._

_“You got in my way, again, you weakling!” he snarls. His hand makes contact with Tarrlok’s cheek – hard. Tarrlok stumbles backward, feeling off-balance. “How dare you come along, become Officer Tarrlok, dare to oppose me, and then you desire to marry HER!”_

_“Me?” Korra wonders, her face a picture of innocence as she points to herself. Momentarily, the fighting brothers are distracted._

_“Yes…” Amon replies, eyeing her chest hungrily. “You were meant to be_ my _bride, not my puerile brother’s, so I ravished you to set things to rights.”_

_Tarrlok finds a smirk settling onto his swollen lips._

_“It’s too late, brother,” he spats out. “Korra already gave herself to me. What you got was basically the scraps.”_

_“And I was only playing along with you, anyway,” Korra adds, crossing over to stand next to Tarrlok. “You may have taken me, but you didn’t win. The child I will have is his.”_

_Amon lets out a howl of rage, grabbing a nearby torch. He jabs it in Tarrlok’s direction, but Korra steps in front of him, pushing him out of the way before she grabs his hand, leading him out of the yurt._

_She thrusts him up on top of his stallion before seating herself on the back, flicking the reins to urge the horse forward. The wind sings in their hair as the couple makes their escape, Amon’s roar of anger hitting them in the back but by now they are too far away for him to catch up._

_Tarrlok feels Korra’s weight settle against him wearily as she pulls in the leather of the reins, coasting his animal to a halt. He dismounts readily, reaching up to help her down._

_“I’m sorry he did that to you… I’m sorry I couldn’t get here in time....” he apologises, his words falling out in a rush like that of a stream tapping the stones. “I’m sorry this is all my fault… my brother… my long-lost brother…”_

_Korra stares up into his tortured eyes, her hand trailing down along his cheekbones. She presses a kiss onto his lips._

_“It’s all right, you did what you could,” she murmurs, leaning against him. “I’m glad that you’re here, amtat.”_

_“I’m sorry,” Tarrlok whispers again as her fingers begin to intertwine with his long hair, playing with it as the wind embraces them. “I’m so sorry, my love.”_

_“No more need for apologies,” Korra mussitates. “We are already each other’s, amtat, and no one can take that away from us,” she amends, pressing a kiss onto his lips. “And soon we will be two as one in the service of the Khan.”_

_“And someday will defeat my brother,” Tarrlok avows._

_Korra laughs, a small thing tinged with regret but also the surety of her love,_

_“Stop worrying, Tarrlok, and kiss me,” she orders, plying with his hair again._

_He complies, tasting her lips that are as sweet as the berries that line the streams. “And now ravish me home to be wedded.”_

_“As you wish, amtat,” he says, leaning his forehead against hers as the two cling to each other as the susurrus of the wind plays with their deels._

“And that’s how Eej and I came to be married,” Tarrlok concluded, his hand seeking out Korra’s again. “That is the secret history of the officer and the avatar’s love.”

“What a great secret history,” their daughter replied dreamily. “Is there any chance I can have one like that someday after Eej teaches me how to fight alongside the warriors in battle?”

Tarrlok chuckled, unable to stop himself from grinning as Korra leaned over to press a kiss on his cheek.

“We will have to see what the Eternal Blue Sky wants for you,” he responded as the little girl shot her parents a bright smile before exiting the yurt, most likely going in search of her pony and her sword.

“Our secret love history is a good one, isn’t it?” Korra asked, moving from behind his back to seat herself snugly in his lap. “ _I_  couldn’t have asked for a better secret history.”

He pulled her face closer to his as she snuggled within his grasp, cradling her face next to him.

“It is the best secret love history there is,” he confirmed, teasing her lips with kisses. 

“Whatever happened to your brother?” Korra murmured, trying not to be distracted by his taste in her mouth.

“That’s a history for another time, amtat. Last I heard he had a child, a boy, and that he wants him betrothed to our Naran.” 


End file.
